Disposable toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A disposable toothbrush having a head member that removably but securely connects to a handle member. The base portion of the head member is made out of paper material, such as cardboard, and has a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from its bottom side. The handle member has a handle portion and an attachment portion. A pocket on the head member is sized and configured to securely receive the attachment portion in its interior passage so as to securely attach head member to handle member. The disposable toothbrush can utilize interior ridges and a locking mechanism to even more securely attach the head member to the handle member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The field of the present invention relates generally to dental care products, particularly those which are designed to be disposable. More specifically, the present invention relates to disposable toothbrushes having disposable brush portions that attach to specially configured handles.

[0003] 2. Background

[0004] The importance of good dental hygiene is well known. Regular use of a toothbrush to brush the teeth and gums is the best and most commonly available means for the average person to prevent tooth decay and various gum diseases. In fact, other than regular visits to the dentist, cleaning one's teeth with a toothbrush is the most practical and effective way to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It is well known that to be most effective, the teeth should be brushed daily between meals so as to prevent build-up of tooth-decaying substances on and between the teeth. Generally, most people utilize one of the many specially developed and commonly available toothpastes on the toothbrush to improve brushing effectiveness. As part of the brushing process, most people rinse, to one degree or another, the toothpaste and food particles from the toothbrush upon completion of cleaning the teeth and gums. Typically, the toothbrush is shaken to remove some of the rinse and is then placed in a holder or cup to air dry.

[0005] A common problem for most people is the lack of availability of a toothbrush when it is desired to brush one's teeth. Although it is relatively simple to brush the teeth early in the morning and at night when one is at the home and the washroom is available, it is much more difficult to brush one's teeth after meals that take place away from the home (as is typical for lunch). This problem is exasperated when a person is traveling. As such, most people go extended periods of time during the day when they do not brush their teeth. Besides the increased likelihood of tooth decay and gum diseases, the inability to have a toothbrush handy leads to people being self conscience about possible food particles remaining on their teeth and a desire to freshen the breath. Both of these problems can be resolved by carrying a toothbrush with a person so that it can be used when desired. Unfortunately, this is not a very suitable alternative for most people due to the problems with trying to carry around a toothbrush (such as keeping it clean and surrounding surfaces dry).

[0006] In order for the person to effectively clean his or her teeth, the toothbrush must contain a bristle portion that are designed to clean the teeth, reach into the areas between teeth and provide a massaging action for the gums. Toothbrush bristle design has evolved over the years to utilize materials and bristle placement that have been found to be more effective at removing food and other contaminants from the teeth. However, it is well known that repeated use of a toothbrush results in a wearing down of the individual bristles or a reshaping of the bristle pattern (i.e., flaying the bristles). This process is normal and inevitable for all toothbrushes. As a result, in order to maintain the effectiveness of the tooth brushing process, it is highly recommended by the dental profession that people replace their toothbrushes on a regular basis so as to maintain the desired effectiveness of the toothbrush bristles.

[0007] Another problem with toothbrushes, which is alleviated to some extent by the replacement of the toothbrush on a regular basis, is that they tend to be breeding grounds for numerous pathogenic organisms that are known to be able to thrive in the bristles of a toothbrush. Food particles, saliva, bacteria, toothpaste and other materials are known to accumulate on the toothbrush. In addition, various mouth viruses and other diseases can also accumulate in the toothbrush bristles. The fact that most tooth brushing and toothbrush storage takes place in the bathroom, which is known for disease transmission and is generally a warm and moist environment, only makes the build-up of pathogenic organisms more likely. The mere rinsing of the toothbrush under running water, which is what is done by most people, does not remove these materials from the bristles to an extent sufficient to render the toothbrush free of the pathogenic organisms. As a result, the toothbrush can be responsible for the transmission of diseases if the toothbrush is used by another person or comes into contact with another person's toothbrush. Even if not, the contaminated toothbrush can make it very difficult for a person to fight an existing mouth disease due to the likelihood of retransmission of the disease back to the person through the toothbrush. Even though this result can be avoided by the daily replacement of the toothbrush or by extraordinary sterilization processes, the cost of doing so makes either of these alternatives economically infeasible for most persons.

[0008] Prior art disposable toothbrushes have not been well received by the general public. Typically, this is because the prior art toothbrushes are difficult to use, expensive to replace and/or bulky in design. It can be appreciated, therefore, that what is needed is a disposable toothbrush that is suitable for effectively cleaning a person's teeth and which is of a type that allows the person to easily dispose of the toothbrush. To have a realistic chance of being accepted by most people, the disposable toothbrush must be economical to buy and use, therefore requiring the toothbrush to be made out of materials that are inexpensive to produce. The preferred disposable toothbrush should be easy to use and be of a design which is suitable for both adults and children.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The disposable toothbrush of the present invention solves the problems and provides the benefits identified above. That is to say, the present invention is directed towards an improved disposable toothbrush that is inexpensive to make, easy to use and effective at reducing or preventing the spread of diseases of the teeth, gums and mouth and improving the immunity system. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the disposable toothbrush has head member that removably connects to an elongated handle member to form a toothbrush for brushing teeth and gums. The handle member has a an attachment portion at the front end, a handle portion at the opposing back end and a pair of opposing sides. The opposing sides of the attachment portion are disposed apart an attachment width amount and the opposing sides of the handle portion, rearward of the attachment portion, are disposed apart a handle width amount. The head member has a base portion having a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second end. A plurality of bristles, grouped together in tufts, extend outwardly from the bottom side of the base portion to form the brush portion. To attach the head member to the handle member, a pocket is disposed on the top side of the base portion. The pocket has an open end at the first end of the base portion, a closed end at the second end of the base portion and an interior passage extending substantially to the second end of the base portion. To maintain the head member to handle member connection during brushing, the interior passage of the pocket is sized to securely receive the attachment portion of the handle member.

[0010] The handle portion of the toothbrush is sized and configured to be ergonomically comfortable in the user's hand. Typically, this will result in the attachment portion of the handle member having a greater width than the handle portion. To facilitate the disposable nature of the present invention, the base member can be made out of a paper material, such as cardboard that is treated to make it water resistant. In addition, the opposing pocket sides of the pocket can have one or more pocket ridges that are designed to interact with the one or more handle ridges on the attachment portion of the handle member. The pocket and handle ridges should be sized and configured to engage each other so as to secure the head member to the handle member. If a more secure connection is desired, the head member and the handle member can include a locking mechanism for locking the head member to the handle member.

[0011] The improved disposable toothbrush of the present invention will reduce the spread of infectious diseases, including but not limited to diseases of the mouth, teeth and gums, by eliminating a prevalent but not so well known source of germs and bacteria. The present invention will allow people to brush their teeth more often, as recommended by dentists and dental organizations, without requiring the carrying of standard toothbrushes. As is well know, if a person is to carry a standard toothbrush with them, they must also carry a device or container for preventing the toothbrush from picking up contaminants and adding those contaminants to the already fertile breeding ground of the typical toothbrush.

[0012] Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable toothbrush having the features generally described above and more specifically described below in the detailed description. It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a disposable toothbrush that includes a head member made out of a paper material, such as cardboard, having a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the head member. It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a disposable toothbrush that securely but removably attaches a head member having a brush portion to a handle member. The above and other objectives of the present invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a side view of a disposable toothbrush in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a top view of the handle member of the disposable toothbrush of the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the head member of the disposable toothbrush of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a top view of the head member shown in FIG. 3;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a side view of the head member shown in FIG. 3;

[0019]FIG. 6 is cross-sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing the pocket ridges and handle ridges; and

[0020]FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing a locking mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, and particularly with reference to the embodiments of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the preferred embodiments of the present invention, designated generally as 10, are set forth below. Disposable toothbrush 10, shown as a single unit in FIG. 1, generally has a handle member 12 and a head member 14. The disposable toothbrush 10 of the present invention helps prevent the spread of germs by facilitating the disposal of the portion of the toothbrush 10 that is most susceptible to contamination and the transmission of diseases, which is the head member 14. Although the primary embodiment of the present invention 10 envisions the disposal of the head member 14 only, it should be understood that the entire toothbrush 10, including the handle member 12, can be made to be disposable.

[0022] Handle member 12 has a front end 16, an opposing back end 18 and opposing sides 20, as best shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention 10, handle member 12 is made out of a plastic that is both rigid and flexible, as is known in the art, to facilitate brushing of one's teeth with toothbrush 10. As is well known, the typical toothbrush handle is stiff enough to apply pressure to the teeth and gums, yet flexible enough that is has some give so as to avoid injury (particularly to the gum area). At the front end 16 of handle member 12, the opposing sides 20 are disposed apart a distance referred to herein as the attachment width, shown as 22 on FIG. 2, to form an attachment portion 24. Rearward of the attachment portion 24, the opposing sides 20 are disposed apart a distance referred to herein as the handle width, shown as 26 on FIG. 2, to form a handle portion 28. As set forth below, the attachment portion 24 interacts with the head member 14 to form a one-piece toothbrush 10. Handle portion 28 should be sized and configured to be ergonomically comfortable in the user's hand. As is known in the art, various shapes and configurations for handle portion 28 can be utilized. As explained in more detail below, the combined effect of having an ergonomic handle portion 28 and the need to securely attach head member 14 to handle member 12 will result in the preferred embodiment of the present invention 10 having an attachment width 22 that is greater than the handle width 26.

[0023] As best shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, head member 14 has a base portion 30 having a first end 32 and an opposing second end 34 and a top side 36 and an opposing bottom side 38. Base portion 30 can be of any preferred shape, although it will typically be rectangular, square or oval in shape. In the preferred embodiment, because the head member 14 is designed to be thrown away after use, base portion 30 is made out of a paper material, such as cardboard, that is biodegradable. The paper material should be strong enough to support the plurality of bristles 40 that extend downwardly from the bottom surface 38 of base portion 30 to form brush portion 42 when the toothbrush 10 is in use. However, because the toothbrush 10 of the present invention is preferably designed to be a single use item, the base portion 30 does not have to be configured to withstand the rigors of multiple uses and prolonged exposure to water or the humid environment of the typical bathroom. If desired, the cardboard for base portion 30 can be treated or coated with a variety of known materials to reduce the penetration of water or other fluids into base portion 30 so as to further strengthen head member 14. The bristles 40 can be of the size, configuration and type commonly utilized for toothbrushes. As is commonly done, the bristles 40 can be grouped together into a plurality of tufts. Various configurations of bristle patterns for the brush portion 42 are also well known in the art.

[0024] To connect the head member 14 to handle member 12, the present invention utilizes a pocket 44 disposed on the top side 36 of base portion 30, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 5. In the preferred embodiment, the pocket 44 has an open end 46 at the first end 32 of base portion 30, a closed end 48 at the second end 34 of base portion 30 and an interior passage 50 between the open end 46 and closed end 48, extending substantially from the first end 32 to the second end 34 of base portion 30. The interior passage 50 of pocket 44 should be designed and configured to securely receive the attachment portion 24 of handle member 12 therein. In this embodiment, the attachment width 22 should be approximately equal to the width of interior passage 50 so that the pocket 44 is securely attached to attachment portion 24. The attachment portion 24 should be able to slide inside interior passage 50 so that head member 14 is frictionally held onto handle member 12.

[0025] To more securely attach head member 14 to handle member 12, the present invention can include one or more pocket ridges 52 on the insides 54 of pocket 44 forming interior passage 50, as shown in FIG. 6. To provide an even more secure connection between head member 14 and handle member 12, the sides 20 of attachment portion 24 can comprise one or more handle ridges 56 that are sized and configured to engage the pocket ridges 52 inside interior passage 50. The ridges 52 and 56 can interact to form a tight bond between head member 14 and handle member 12. The use of these ridges 52 and 56 still relies on a frictional interaction to hold head member 14 on handle member 12. If an even more secure connection is desired, such as for disposable toothbrushes 10 sized and intended for children or for use with person's who have diminished mental capacity, then a locking mechanism can be used to lock head member 14 onto handle member 12 during the brushing process. Any such locking mechanism should be designed to release head member 14 from handle member 12 once brushing is complete and disposal of head member 14 is desired. One such locking mechanism, shown in FIG. 7, can comprise a snap lock 58 on handle member 12 that interacts with a lip 60 on head member 14. These types of locking mechanisms are common. They function by sliding head member 14 onto attachment portion 24 until lip 60 is forced under the snap lock 58 or by pulling the snap lock 58 back to allow lip 60 to pass under snap lock 58. The snap lock 58 closes over lip 60 locking head member 14 onto attachment portion 24. When brushing is complete, the head member 14 is removed from handle member 12 by utilizing the thumb or finger to pull snap lock 58 open so that lip 60 can pass back under snap lock 58 and the head member 14 removed.

[0026] An example configuration for the disposable toothbrush 10 of the present invention is set forth below. The example is meant to be exemplary only and not to limit the invention in any way. As an example, the handle portion 28 can be 6-½″ long and ½ wide and the attachment portion 24 can be ¾ long and ¾″ wide. The overall length of handle member 12 with these dimensions would be 7-¼″. The head member 14 could be 1″ long by 1″ wide having four rows of eleven tufts each protruding from the bottom side 38 approximately 1-¼″. The pocket 44 would be ¾″ wide by ¾″ long. When head member 14 is secured onto handle member 12, the overall length of toothbrush 10 would be 7-½inches. A child size version of the toothbrush 10 could have a handle portion 28 that is ⅜″ wide by 5-½″ long having an attachment portion 24 that is ½″ long by ½″ wide. The head member 14 would be ¾″ wide by ¾″ long and would have a pocket 44 that is ½″ wide by ½″ long. The smaller head member 14 could utilize three rows of seven tufts each protruding from the bottom side 38 approximately 1″.

[0027] In use, the toothbrush 10 of the present invention will be typically provided in two parts, one being the handle member 12 and the other being one or more head members 14. Generally, a plurality of head members 14 will be provided in a bag or sack. To ensure the head members 14 remain clean until needed, they can be individually wrapped inside the bag or sack. When brushing is desired, the person would remove one of the head members 14 from the bag or sack and remove the wrapping material. Typically, the head member 14 would be gripped on its sides and slide onto the attachment portion 24 of handle member 12. In the preferred embodiment, the head member 14 would frictionally secure itself to the attachment portion 24. If a locking mechanism is utilized, it would be operated to allow the head member 14 to be placed on the handle member 12. Once the brushing is complete, the user would pull head member 14 off of the attachment portion, disengaging the locking mechanism if necessary, and dispose of the head member 14 in the trash. If desired, the individual wrapping for head members 14 can be of the type that is resealable (i.e., such as many sandwich bags) so the used head member 14 can be placed back in the wrapping for disposal. Also, if desired, the attachment portion of the handle member 12 can dipped or wiped with alcohol to sterilize it. As set forth in more detail above, the use of disposable toothbrush 10 eliminates the build-up of contaminants on the brush portion 42 and substantially reduces the likelihood of spread of diseases.

[0028] If a completely disposable toothbrush 10 is desired, the handle member 12 can also be made out of a paper material, such as the same cardboard used for head member 14. Naturally, any such handle member 12 would have to be made sufficiently stiff so that it can be used to brush the teeth without collapsing or breaking. In this manner, the user would simply throw away the entire toothbrush 10 when finished brushing his or her teeth.

[0029] While there is shown and described herein certain specific alternative forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. The present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of elements presently described and understood by the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle portion; head member having a base portion comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second end; a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from said bottom side of said base portion of said head member, said plurality of bristles forming a brush portion; and a pocket disposed on said top side of said base portion, said pocket having an open end at said first end of said base portion and an interior passage extending substantially to said second end of said base portion, said interior passage of said pocket sized to securely receive said attachment portion of said handle member.
 2. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said pocket has a closed end at said second end of said base portion.
 3. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said attachment width is greater than said handle width.
 4. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said base member is made out of a paper material.
 5. The disposable toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said paper material is cardboard.
 6. The disposable toothbrush of claim 5, wherein said cardboard is treated to make it water resistant.
 7. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said interior passage of said pocket has opposing pocket sides, said opposing pocket sides having one or more pocket ridges thereon.
 8. The disposable toothbrush of claim 7, wherein said opposing sides of said attachment portion has one or more handle ridges, said handle ridges sized and configured to engage said pocket ridges on said pocket sides so as to secure said head member to said handle member.
 9. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said head member and said handle member further comprise locking means for locking said head member to said handle member.
 10. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle portion, said opposing sides of said attachment portion having one or more handle ridges thereon; a head member having a base portion comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second end, said base portion made out of a paper material; a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from said bottom side of said base portion of said head member, said plurality of bristles forming a brush portion; and a pocket disposed on said top side of said base portion, said pocket having an open end at said first end of said base portion and an interior passage extending substantially to said second end of said base portion, said interior passage sized to receive said attachment portion of said handle member, said interior passage of said pocket having opposing pocket sides, each of said opposing pocket sides having one or more pocket ridges thereon, said pocket ridges sized and configured to engage said handle ridges so as to secure said head member to said handle member.
 11. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said pocket has a closed end at said second end of said base portion.
 12. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said attachment width is greater than said handle width.
 13. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said paper material is cardboard.
 14. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said head member and said handle member further comprise locking means for locking said head member to said handle member.
 15. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle portion; a head member having a base portion comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second end, said base portion made out of paper; a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from said bottom side of said base portion of said head member, said plurality of bristles forming a brush portion; and a pocket disposed on said top side of said base portion, said pocket having an open end at said first end of said base portion, a closed end at said second end of said base portion and an interior passage extending from said open end to said closed end, said interior passage of said pocket sized to securely receive said attachment portion of said handle member.
 16. The disposable toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said interior passage of said pocket has opposing pocket sides, said opposing pocket sides having one or more pocket ridges thereon.
 17. The disposable toothbrush of claim 16, wherein said opposing sides of said attachment portion has one or more handle ridges, said handle ridges sized and configured to engage said pocket ridges on said pocket sides so as to secure said head member to said handle member.
 18. The disposable toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said paper material is cardboard. 